Starlight, Starbright
by Hearts Unfold
Summary: Serena is trying to find out who she is and where she truly belongs. Will the door to the moon kingdom finally be opened for her to take her place as rightful queen? (based off the tv series.)
1. Nothing Special

Chapter 1: Nothing Special

Serena sat at her mirrior, brushing her long golden hair. Her mom had been insisting that she get a haircut, but Serena refused. Sailor Moon has signature pigtails that just can't go away. She smiled to herself and laid the brush down on the table in front of her. Luna walked into the room, yawning lazily.

"Isn't it time for school?" she mewed. Serena jumped up, one part of her hair up, the other not.

"Oh my gosh!" she screamed, frantically gathering her school things. "It's the first day and I'm going to to be late!"

Luna watched her run down the street, amused at the familiar sight.

"And here she promised that her senior year would be different," she said to herself.

Serena ran as fast as she could, her heart pounding. This year was supposed to be different. She was going to prove to all her teachers that she was mature and responsible. So much for that. She crashed into a pole, and fell flat on her back, stars spinning around her head. She blinked a few times, got up, and raced off to school, running through the doors just as the late bell rang.

"Not again," she groaned. She walked to Miss Haruna's class and sat down, out of breath with a large bump on her head.

"You're late again," Miss Haruna said without even looking up from her book.

"I know, but I would have made if that pole hadn't gotten in my way," Serena complained.

"Sure, let's just blame our clumsiness on the inanimate object."

"But Miss Haruna!"

"Silence! Not another word out of you!"

Serena laid her face in her arms, complaining in her head. She was so tired. She drifted off to sleep, and next thing she knew, Miss Haruna had slammed a large ruler right next to her head. Serena screamed and fell out of her chair.

"I'm tired of this! Four years and you haven't changed a bit! You aren't getting detention anymore, you get suspension!" Miss Haruna yelled. Serena's eyes grew wide. Detention she could handle, but suspension? Now she definitely wouldn't get into college.

"Miss Haruna," Lita spoke up. "Don't you think you're being a tad harsh?"

"Dention for you too!" Lita shrank back into her seat. Ami stayed quiet.

Serena trudged slowly home, a note from the Principal in her hand. Her parents had already received a phone call, and they were furious. She sat down on a bench at the bus stop, preparing herself for the worst. Darien came walking up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Why so down?" he asked.

"Miss Haruna suspended me for an entire week, because I was late and fell asleep in class," she sighed.

"You do that every day."

Serena glared at him, then stood up.

"Well excuse me if I can't ever do anything right!" she cried, tears forming in her eyes.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that," Darien took her hand. "What's really bothering you?"

"I'm nothing. I try so hard, but nothing I do ever comes out right. Ami's a genius, Lita can cook, Mina is an amazing athlete, Rai is just...awesome, and what am I? Even Rini has a talent! She's a gymnast!"

"Honey, you are special," Darien whispered, pulling her close to him. Serena pulled away.

"Don't lie to me!" Tears were now streaming down her face. She gave one last sob and ran off. Darien stared as she disappeared. He sat down on the bench, sighing as the bus pulled up. Something was wrong, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.

Serena sat at the park, staring at her reflection in the lake. Why had she snapped at Darien? He was the only one who always understood her, and now she'd pushed him away. The stress was inescapable. She made one mistake, and now the rest of her life was ruined. She wouldn't get into college with suspension on her record, it would have been hard enough just with all those detentions. Her grades hadn't improved much, and she had no special talent to get her through life.

"I thought being queen was all I had to be," she sighed. "But I don't even know how to get back to the moon kingdom. And I can't be queen until we reopen the kingdom."

The sun was setting, casting a pink light over everything. The gentle breeze made small ripples on the water and blew her hair back. The leaves in the trees rustled, and somewhere a bird called out. Darien watched his princess from a distance, debating whether to talk to her or not. He decided she just needed to be alone for a while, and went home. He'd call her in the morning.

Serena sighed one last time, then stood up. It was dark outside, and the stars had just come out. She stood there, mesmerized by their beauty and simplicity.

"Starlight, starbright, I wish I may, I wish I might," she breathed. "Have this wish, I wish tonight." She closed her eyes and concentrated. One dim star twinkled, becoming the brightest one in the sky.


	2. Running Away

_Sorry it took so long for me to get more up. I've been really busy with school work and such. Thank you all for you patience and the wonderful reviews. Please keep them coming!! _

Chapter 2: Running Away

Darien woke with a start. He had fallen asleep on the couch while watching the news. There was a knock on the door, and he went to answer it. There was Serena, tear stains on her face, her blue eyes filled with sorrow.

"I can't go home," she said.

"Why not?"

"I can't tell you," she replied. "I just...can't."

Darien looked her over. He noticed a small purple bruise on her shoulder.

"Would you like to stay here for the night?" he asked quietly.

"You don't understand," he voice was barely above a whisper. "I can't ever go home."

"Did they throw you out?"

"No. It's complicated, Darien."

"Serena..."

She turned away from him.

"I'll try Lita." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No," he said. "Whatever the reason you can't go home, I'm going to protect you."

Serena looked up at him, understanding in his eyes. Her knees buckled and she began to sob again. His arms were immediately around her, holding her as close to him as possible. Darien carried her inside, laying her on the couch. She scrunched up into a ball, the tears slipping down her face.

"No one ever said life was going to be this hard," she murmured.

"Yeah, well. You have some pretty hard responsibilities."

"Those I handle better than the real world."

Serena sat up, staring out the window into the black night. Thoughts were racing around in her mind, and she couldn't keep track of them all. She couldn't remember exactly when everything had started to become so complicated. The day she had met Luna was complicated enough. Finding out she was supposed to save the world from evil...no, that hadn't been hard. She'd made the best friends ever. Even when she found out she was the long lost princess wasn't hard. She supposed it had all started long before then, the first time that...

Serena shuddered. She couldn't think about that. This was why she had run away. This was why she couldn't go home. No one would let her stay unless they knew her reason, but Darien was the only one living on his own. Even he would wonder.

"Serena?" Darien's gentle voice brought her back to the present. "Is there anything you need to talk about? Anything I can do for you?"

"No," Serena sighed. "I don't think there's anything anyone can do."

Darien looked at her with concern all over his face, but didn't chase the subject farther. He pulled Serena close to him, and turned the tv back on, flipping through the channels until he realized she was asleep. He got up carefully, tucking a blanket over his sleeping princess.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I promise."

_I know that was really short, but I hope you liked it!_


End file.
